Trinity Demask

Artist Information

Biography

“Trinity Demask has one of those voices that gives your heart and spirit a double-take. Wonderful songwriting, great production. 'Crucible' is a gem!” – Wendy Wham, KUNC 91.5 FM Greeley, CO

"After a seeming eternity between releases, Trinity Demask returns under her own name, with an album's worth of material that places her squarely in the ranks of singer-songwriters like Dar Williams and Jonatha Brooke." – Chris K., host of “The Colorado Sound” radio show (KRFC 88.9 FM, Fort Collins)

The first thing that grabs you about Trinity Demask is her voice. Often drawing comparisons to the angelic, rootsy tones of Alison Krauss, Trinity’s voice can also pack a powerhouse punch reminiscent of blues rocker Susan Tedeschi. It is a voice perfectly suited to bring songs to life with heart and passion.

Trinity honed that voice singing to her pets as a child and alone in her car as an adult, but when it came to singing to a human audience, fear of rejection kept her silent. “By the time I made my singing debut, I was in my thirties. I had always written poetry and stories, so songwriting wasn’t so much of a surprise, but my friends and family were shocked to learn that I had this voice that I’d been keeping secret. I’ve since discovered it’s not uncommon for people, especially women who tend to nurture others and put their own desires last, to have shelved talents or dreams. Finally, they reach a point in their mid-thirties or later when they ask themselves, ‘if not now, when?’”

Trinity certainly has made up for lost time. She began performing professionally in 2001 just months after playing at her first open mic. From coffeehouses and bars to theaters and festivals, she steadily earned a devoted following who appreciated not only her music, but her disarming wit and humor. The Indie Acoustic Project named her first CD "Venus In Retrograde" (released under her band name Third Road Home) "one of the best CDs of 2004" in the acoustic ensemble category, and her follow-up "Crucible" was named "one of the best CDs of 2009" in the lyrics category. Her bluegrass-infused tune “Whatever Is” was selected for the 2004 New Song Showcase at the popular Walnut Valley Festival and was included in mvyradio’s Fresh Produce #1 CD Sampler.

The introspective collection of songs was lauded by reviewers and listeners alike for its intimate and conversational tone. “Listening to this CD is like a deep tissue massage, some lyrics hit hard, but it makes you feel released and strengthened in the end,” writes one. A casual listen reveals accessible songs that are rootsy, warm and sometimes edgy, with catchy melodies and insightful lyrics. But it is her distinctive voice that captures the listener on a deeper level, delivering inspiration, hope, and healing.

In her new release “Crucible,” she explores themes of struggle, transcendence, and redemption with trademark clarity and heart. The twelve tracks range from upbeat Americana to moody adult alternative with topics spanning from the personal to the political. She doesn’t shy from difficult topics or dark emotions, but neither does she dwell on the pain. “Even in the worst moments of my life, I’ve seen the bigger picture and that’s the kind of message I convey in my songs. There’s always a light of hope. Keep moving forward, keep exploring. Life is all about the journey. There’s bound to be something unexpected and beautiful around the next corner.”

Trinity’s optimism isn’t blind faith. It’s the voice of experience. From her own difficult childhood – she lost her father to cancer when she was twelve – to the lives of those she served while working with the homeless in Denver, Trinity has known hardship and heartache. But she found hope and healing in music.

“Music has always been my closest companion and the source of my greatest inspiration. My path in life would be drastically different if I didn’t have the soundtrack that I did. I owe those artists a huge debt of gratitude. Music should move your body, challenge your mind, open your heart, and expand your awareness. That's what I've found in the music that inspired me and that's what I strive to create with my own songs."

It's this philosophy that makes Trinity Demask's music more than entertainment. It is songwriting at its most empowering, expressed with a voice that purely and poetically shares the profound nature of being human.

Instrumentation

Clarence Johnsen - Bass, Backing Vocals
Steve Gilbert - Backing Vocals, Lead Guitar
Jim Post - Drums

Discography

Crucible (2009)
Venus In Retrograde (2004)

Official Website

http://www.trinitydemask.com

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter

Audio

• Westward Bound
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• Dear John
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• Whatever Is
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• Zombie
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• Here With You Today
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• This I Can Do
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Westward Bound
• Dear John
• Zombie
• Whatever Is
• Here With You Today
• This I Can Do

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• KUNC Quote [+ Show ]
  

  "Trinity Demask has one of those voices that gives your heart and spirit a double-take. Wonderful so..."Trinity Demask has one of those voices that gives your heart and spirit a double-take. Wonderful songwriting, great production. 'Crucible' is a gem!"
  - Wendy Wham, KUNC 91.5 FM Greeley, CO

• Colorado Sound Quote [+ Show ]
  

  "After a seeming eternity between releases, Trinity Demask returns under her own name, with an album..."After a seeming eternity between releases, Trinity Demask returns under her own name, with an album's worth of material that places her squarely in the ranks of singer-songwriters like Dar Williams and Jonatha Brooke."
  - Chris K., host of "The Colorado Sound" radio show (KRFC 88.9 FM, Fort Collins)

• Indie-Music Review [+ Show ]
  

  I admit it: I'm biased. This music is where I live. But it doesn't matter - anyone who hears Trinity...I admit it: I'm biased. This music is where I live. But it doesn't matter - anyone who hears Trinity Demask's sparkling voice and Tom Demask's expressive guitar playing cannot help but be impressed with Third Road Home's debut release Venus In Retrograde.
  
  I, of course, immediately fell in love with it. There is a chemistry between these two people that makes for an unforgettable listening experience. Those tight harmonies give me gooseflesh. The only way they would blend better is if Trinity and Tom were brother and sister instead of husband and wife. Moreover, Trinity's sharp lyrical imagery blends perfectly with Tom's emotive guitar. The result is nothing short of sublime.
  
  Don't try to define this duo. Folkies and rock fans alike will identify with their sound. While you may be able to say their sound is reminiscent of [insert name here], ultimately, the comparison wouldn't work. That said, if you like East Mountain South, Indigo Girls and such, you'll like Third Road Home. On "Whatever Is," Trinity's voice has some of the sweetness and timbre of Kelly Willis, but she dons a hard Pat Benatar-like edge on "Reason To Believe." Tom cites as one of his influences jazz guitarist Al Dimeola (Return to Forever). Hearing some of that icon's unique phrasing applied to acoustic folk is a definite treat.
  
  Trinity is a competent tunesmith, well versed in structure, phrasing and melody. She takes the familiar chord changes and turns them into something new and fresh, not mundane like some over-played standards of the genre. "Awakening" approaches from the distance and seems to well up from deep inside the soul, drawing you in and rousing you from the trance of daily living as if to say "come, spirit, and soar with me." "Avalon" and "Sweet The Open Road" - my number one and number two picks, respectively - are back-to-back on this album and deliver an emotional payload perfectly sandwiched between the catchy "Come Undone" and the light-hearted love story "Here With You Today."
  
  Some of Tom's most impressive vocal work is found on "Sweet The Open Road." The chorus has some beautiful phrasing, particularly the lines "Soft the fading denial, sweet the open road." "The Distance Between You And I," one of three songs on the album not written by Trinity (it was written by Jim Harris and Gabe Rhodes) is likewise impressive. You can hear the difference in the songwriting, but Trinity and Tom make the song their own, and it's a surprise at first to find it's not one of their originals.
  
  The beauty of this music is that it never really goes out of style, it just evolves. It will always have fans. Forty years ago, during the "Great Folk Scare," the "folkniks" believed you could change the world if you sang loud and long enough. And they did. And their music is still popular. Forty years from now, when the world looks back on this new age of folk, Third Road Home will be riding high on the list of genre-defining artists. Call it the "Colorado sound" if you will. I just call it great music.
  

• Zoe Montana's Featured Artists [+ Show ]
  

  "soft the fading denial, sweet the open road!" great lyrics, crystal clear pitch-perfect vocals, su... "soft the fading denial, sweet the open road!" great lyrics, crystal clear pitch-perfect vocals, superb instrumentation, great variety, perfect production, what more can you ask? third road home duo trinity and tom demask have been radioio subscribers for six months, and have been holding out on me! finally this week they have sent in their own acoustic masterpiece venus in retrograde - and i could be wrong - but it sounds like to me that every single song is created specifically for play on radioioACOUSTIC! i've put every track from this cd into my BUZZ category (heavy play) this week, it's absolutely *essential* for your acoustic collection!

• Stew's Reviews [+ Show ]
  

  "Back before I unemployed myself, I would sit at the computer at work and listen to RadioIO Acoustic..."Back before I unemployed myself, I would sit at the computer at work and listen to RadioIO Acoustic on the internet. Whenever a song would strike me I would click on the program details to get information on the song and artist playing. That’s where I first heard “Avalon” and first heard of Third Road Home. The vocals are lovely, the guitars intertwine beautifully and the songs are well written with just enough percussion to not be offensive. Upon receiving this cd for review I found the vocals and guitar work familiar and realized the RadioIO connection after hearing “Avalon” the second time. Trinity and Tom Demask comprise the core group with the majority of the songs penned by Trinity who also plays guitar. Tom handles acoustic and electric guitar, bass and bouzouki and backs Trinity on vocal harmonies. Trinity’s way with words are poetic without being contrite, “Let the days roll by like thunder, let the night fall down like rain, there is one sure thing you can count on, whatever is, is gonna change,” (“Whatever Is”) and is full of imagery, “And I hold your memory like a gambler holds his bluff when faith in his hand is not enough.” (Spaces In Between”). The music is sincere and heartfelt with “Venus In Retrograde” offering plenty to both the poet and musician in you."

• Weekend Environments Review [+ Show ]
  

  "Trinity has a wonderful voice and the lyrics are some of the best that I've heard in a long time. ..."Trinity has a wonderful voice and the lyrics are some of the best that I've heard in a long time. A folksy pop CD filled with great songs."

• Kweevak.com Review [+ Show ]
  

  Third Road Home is a trio based out of Colorado. Their unusual band name honors the magical and mund...Third Road Home is a trio based out of Colorado. Their unusual band name honors the magical and mundane. Their music is enchanting as it looks at the everyday events of life and love. Trinity Demask is the exquisite, lead vocalist and acoustic guitar player for the group. Her husband Tom Demask is dynamic on guitars, bass and the bouzouki. Tom also handles backing vocals and his singing blends well with Trinity's versatile voice. Gig Sassano aptly handles drums and percussion on the album. Venus in Retrograde is their thirteen-track debut. Third Road Home travels heavily on the acoustic rock trail but other musical genres are explored on their journey. Their lyrics are poetic and the instrumentation is soft yet vibrant. The self-produced CD soars from the opening intro 'Awakening' to the colorful, closer 'Radio Waves'. 'Avalon' is an insightful visual song enriched by striking guitar work and a gentle beat. I liked the snappy, subtle rhythm and rich riffs in 'Reason To Believe'. Trinity's vocals are mesmerizing as she sings about fulfilling your dreams no matter what others may say. It could be a personal song or presented from an insightful observer. Third Road Home is crafting songs with substance that are sung and played from the heart and the earthy Venus in Retrograde is out of this world! • Recommended Tracks: (1,3,11,13) [USA/CO 2004 - web] (Review by Laura Turner Lynch for Kweevak.com)

Setlist

In addition to her original songs, Trinity sometimes performs covers by such artists as Richard Shindell, The Cranberries, The Dixie Chicks, Kate Wolf, Indigo Girls, Janis Joplin, Heather Nova, Jewel, Patsy Cline, Tracy Chapman, Emmylou Harris, Melissa Etheridge, Sarah McLachlan and others.

Basic Requirements

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